Starlight and Storm: The Inner Thoughts of a Mountain Guide

Discipline may not be your problem.

29 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Another interesting topic. If you are interested in some mentoring email me at: [email protected].

How to boil water?

16 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

I love this example.

The delicate relationship with land managers

09 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Something we all should be thinking about.

Sand pile theory

15 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

I love this stuff.

Doubt w/Amity Krause Pt.2

12 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Amity is a good friend of mine. She's definitely put some time in the field.

Doubt w/Amity Krause Pt. 1

09 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Amity is a good friend of mine. She's definitely put some time in the field.

A beautiful life w/Joe Fratianni Pt. 3

06 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

I met Joe on Kalymnos and thought he had created an interesting career in guiding. I also feel we share many of the same values around guiding and lif...

A beautiful life w/Joe Fratianni Pt. 2

02 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

I met Joe on Kalymnos and thought he had created an interesting career in guiding. I also feel we share many of the same values around guiding and lif...

Wind

31 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Wind is an interesting force of nature.

A beautiful life w/Joe Fratianni Pt. 1

29 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

I met Joe on Kalymnos and thought he had created an interesting career in guiding. I also feel we share many of the same values around guiding and lif...

Radiohead

15 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Radios are a great tool to understand more fully and to use well.

The connection of kit/skill to wonderment

02 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

How understanding your kit/skills can help facilitate wonderment and curiosity.

The performance puzzle w/Peter Doucette pt.2

10 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

I feel fortunate to record a couple episodes with IFMGA guide Peter Doucette. He happens to be one of my closest friends as well. I have always apprec...

The performance puzzle w/Peter Doucette pt.1

08 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

I feel fortunate to record a couple episodes with IFMGA guide Peter Doucette. He happens to be one of my closest friends as well. I have always apprec...

The straight line principle

02 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A heady yet simple principle to understand several different aspects of rope management.

Equivocation hitch

23 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A quirky but useful technique.

I’m not done yet!

20 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

I’m excited about what the future will bring.

The seated belay

31 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Some thoughts to consider.

Flow state

17 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Finding the beauty within motion.

When do we get the rope out?

16 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Just thoughts.

Thoughts on partner rescue in technical terrain

03 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Just some thoughts on a huge topic.

Thoughts on lap coils

16 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

An interesting technique that can be done well.

Sometimes the best way to move forward is to just let go

11 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Sometimes the simple things are what hold us back.

The delicate balance of a facilitative experience

04 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Interesting topic

Silos

28 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Another interesting topic

Get your kit dialed in

26 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Another small but important topic

Take care of your kit

26 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Important advice IMO.

“What are you still hanging onto?”

17 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Philosophical Sunday!

Orders of magnitude

07 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

An important concept to think about.

Pendulums

05 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

An interesting skillset.

Levers

02 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What levers can you pull to optimize a situation?

How do you know if a mountain guide is at a party?

25 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

More life thoughts

Discomfort

15 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

An important topic

Paralyzed

11 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Transition time!

It Works!

13 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The start of my Cochlear Implant(CI) journey!

Medical/life update

19 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Another step forward.

Risk w/Chris pt.3

27 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Last but not least.

Risk w/Chris pt.2

26 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Another session with my friend Chris Bartram.

Risk w/Chris pt.1

25 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

My good friend Chris Bartram joins me again as we talk about risk.

One year medical anniversary

07 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Being open and honest this morning.

Ice Climbing! w/Kendra Stritch pt.3

22 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Finally some episodes about ice climbing and ice climbing instruction! I feel fortunate to share this conversation with Kendra Stritch. To find her ch...

Ice Climbing! w/Kendra Stritch pt.2

21 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Finally some episodes about ice climbing and ice climbing instruction! I feel fortunate to share this conversation with Kendra Stritch. To find her ch...

Ice Climbing! w/Kendra Stritch pt.1

20 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Final some episodes about ice climbing and ice climbing instruction! I feel fortunate to share this conversation with Kendra Stritch. To find her chec...

Grain of salt

02 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Be critical of the information you consume.

Another perfectly good hour w/Dick and Silas

17 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We never get tired of this topic.

The Process

11 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/floating-leaves-tea/id1463687698?i=1000504309031

Why I still make this podcast

01 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

You are why I still make this podcast.

What’s Next?

30 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A little post op reflection.

Knowledge…

23 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Just a quick one.

Edge Transitions

20 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A topic that gets overlooked and is done poorly but is a big deal for many reasons.

Post Op

17 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Just got home and looking forward to what the future holds.

Surgery Eve w/Sarah O’Malley

13 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Pre surgery chat.

“Rules are for fools”

21 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A hard balance to find.

Surgery update

15 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

New date

Mountains are still dangerous

06 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Where we are at in mountain craft is unbelievably inspiring but every coin had two sides.

Repost with an intro:Homogenization

01 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

More philosophical ramblings.

Releasable Rappels

30 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

An interesting topic IMO.

Intoxication

20 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

I think this is really important.

Conviction

19 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

You need to believe in what you are doing.

Ropes?

16 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A listener request!

Intangibles

15 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

I may be suffering from analysis paralysis 😆.

Every piece matters with Silas Rossi

02 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Check out Silas and his Ascend and Ascend Pro opportunities @ www.alpine-logic.com

Interfacing with Bolt Anchors

23 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A fun little topic/mind exercise.

Save the date and micro relationships

02 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What an interesting experience

Zebracorn, community, collaboration

06 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

[email protected]

The audacity of mountain guiding

28 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Food for thought

The Gratitude Episode

07 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

🙏

Zebras and the Guiding Soundscape

29 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Thoughts on how important sound can be in guiding

Lemons

21 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

When life presents lemons…

Improved Audio! Rossi Talk: Learning to Lead

01 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

I hope this is better!

Gym to Crag

15 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A big topic that goes beyond skill progression.

Reading People

08 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A long rambling talk on a squishy subject. One important piece is to make observations not judgments. Easy in concept but can be hard in practice.

Managing Expectations

07 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

An important discussion to have with our clients.

Financial Planning with Dan pt 2

03 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Finances pt 2

Financial Planning with Dan pt 1

02 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This two part series talks to climber and financial advisor Dan about the essence of financial planning.

Guide the terrain not the route

31 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

I think about this topic a lot.

The embodiment of skills

21 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Get ready for a rambling rabbit hole.

Career Advice?

16 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Good luck.

A Shout Out To Praxis Skis

23 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

I’m not an ambassador for Praxis. I just like their skis. www.praxisskis.com

Mack Attack! Another discussion with Mack and her progression in guiding

21 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Mack was one of the interns on the very first conversations I recorded. I wanted to revisit Mack and her journey in this profession.

Concepts and managing the details

20 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

I’m starting to repeat myself 😆

Fast Food

12 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Just one way at looking at skills and skill progression.

What is good guiding?

20 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Just some thoughts.

Iteration

27 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Guiding is a constant process of iteration.

Polyphemus

23 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Part of growing as a person is letting go.

Belay Takeovers

07 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The concepts here apply universally to larger more complex situation.

Spring Theory and Role Modeling

26 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This has been keeping me up for a few nights.

The Long and Winding Road: From new climber to certified AMGA Rock Guide with Paddy O'Mara pt.3

13 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The wrap up episode where we talk more about the actual exam.

The Long and Winding Road: From new climber to certified AMGA Rock Guide with Paddy O'Mara pt.2

12 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We talk about loss and death and how it affects us in life and guiding.

The Long and Winding Road: From new climber to certified AMGA Rock Guide with Paddy O'Mara pt.1

11 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Paddy and I go on a journey about rock guiding, loss, the process, and some shared experiences.

Scale with Silas Rossi

08 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Silas and I talk about how adjusting the scale of what we are looking at is really useful as we try to create solutions for our intended goals. For ...

Own the material

03 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

I’m always working on this as I learn/experience new things or re-evaluate what I think I know.

State of the Union pt. 2

13 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This is where I’m at.

The Last Winter Guide

19 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

How do we move forward as an industry with the increasingly unpredictable nature of winter and winter activities?

Hard Charging with Riley Whitney: skiing and ski technique pt. 2

21 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Part 2 of the enjoyable conversation I had with Riley.

Hard Charging with Riley Whitney: skiing and ski technique pt. 1

20 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Riley is an awesome skier but more importantly is an awesome person. I really enjoyed this conversation!

Time

23 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It never stops.

Mental Health

10 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

I’m definitely not an expert on this. I’m just trying to do my best and move forward.

So you want to start your own guide service

27 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Another interesting journey

Watch those carabiners

17 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Check out the DMM website for some interesting gear testing.